Harry Potter and the Promise of the Future
by tomber-amoureux
Summary: Picks up after the Final Battle, just before Harry's 20th birthday. HG, RHr. I can't say much in the summary for fear of giving away the entire first chapter and ruining the story, so just give it a chance. Please, please read and review, and enojy!
1. Chapter 1

Nineteen-year old Harry Potter sat with his head in his hands, bereft. Thrown carelessly across the room, lying in a crumpled pile was the _Daily Prophet_'s gossip column. The headline blared, "Harry Potter recovers quickly from deaths of school friends and ex-flame." The article was accompanied by a created picture of Harry, his face obscured by that of an overly made-up blonde whom Harry had never seen in his life.

It had been three months since the final battle. Harry had defeated Voldemort, watched his best friends die, received an absentee diploma from Hogwarts, and withdrawn himself from wizarding society, mourning the deaths of Ron, Hermione, and Ginny in the muggle world. Grave thoughts filling his head, Harry fell into a fitful sleep. He dreamed of the bodies of his three lifeless friends, but when their faces appeared in his dream, he awoke with a start. Something was amiss.

The faces of his friends were ingrained completely in his mind. Why, in his countless recollections had he not noticed it before? All three of his friends had the same faint blue haze clouding their eyes. He was sure it had been there at their funerals. Each having been struck by Avada Kedavra, one after the other, their bodies remained in tact, showing no sign of harm, and they had therefore each been given proper burials. It seemed that behind the haze were signs of life. Maybe not stirrings, but emotions in the least, a departure from the expressionless faces Harry had seen so often on victims of the killing curse. Harry shook his head; it was all wishful thinking, he knew.

Again he fell into a disturbed sleep. Images of his first kiss with Ginny, him and Ron playing wizarding chess, all the while Hermione peering disapprovingly over the top of a book, filled his mind. Then, something hit him sharply on the nose, and Harry opened his eyes.

"Ronald Weasley, if you hit me one more time, I'll rip your bloody hands off!" he shouted fiercly. Then he stood up.

"Uhhhh, gah…ummm…erm…ugh" he stammered incoherently before sitting down and squeezing his eyes shut. He abruptly began shaking his head violently. He muttered to himself and cautiously opened one eye. The other one opened and he launched himself upward into the arms of Ron and Hermione, thumping Ron on the back and placing a sloppy, jubilant kiss on Hermione's lips.

"Hermione! Ron!--" he spun around, searching. "Where's…?" and suddenly, Ginny Weasley popped into his living room. Before anyone could utter a word, he had embraced her tightly about her waist and kissed her deeply. He withdrew and muttered "I love you." She grinned at Harry as he turned to face his other friends, keeping one firmly around Ginny's middle.

"Actually I love all of you." Hermione immediately burst into tears, and Ron gave her a sideways glace before saying,

"Well that's all good and well just so long as you don't kiss me like that." Harry laughed and assured him,

"No worries, mate. Those I save for your sister." Ron grimaced and jerked his head.

"What you two do behind closed doors is none of my business, although it is a great source of worry to me--"

"Ron, shush," said Hermione, speaking for the firs time. "Pleasantries aside, I think Harry deserves an explanation, not threatening words from his best friend," she said lovingly but insistently.

"Yeah, I suppose that's true," conceded Ron. "But I'm warning you. She's been through a lot. One step out of line and," he made the motion of slicing his neck.

"Right then, take a seat, Harry," said Ginny, pulling him down next to her on the couch. Hermione perched on the edgy of the coffee table and Ron sat on the arm of the couch. Hermione took a steadying breath and began.

"Dumbledore knew, from the moment he rescued from the rubble, that you'd need protection. Obviously, that's why you lived with your aunt. In any case, he also knew it would be entirely ineffective against V…Voldemort once you reached your seventeenth birthday, which is why he'd been trying to develop a new kind of protection, also derived from love, though stronger than before. Finally, in our sixth year, he succeeded, with some help, and it was put into effect. He placed the protection one you, since you're the only one who could have defeated…Voldemort. He also placed it one the three of us," she paused, indicating herself, Ginny, and Ron, "knowing that nothing, not even your noble attempts would keep us from helping you. The spell, which when cast on a group of people who love each other becomes stronger than had it only been cast on you, ensured that when one under its protection as hit with any kind of lethal curse, they would appear to die, while, in actuality, entering a long, rehabilitating slumber. This is, of course, what happened to the three of us. The spell, which I suggested be called 'Shakespeare's Sleep'," (Harry understood the reference, immersion in muggle society had him well-versed in the knowledge of Shakespeare's play and the draught Juliet drank to appear dead), "prevented our deaths." Hermione, who had until this point speaking in a calm, even voice, suddenly began to gulp in deep breaths in an effort to prevent the flow of tears. Ron placed a loving arm around her shoulders and urged her to continue.

"Sorry, Harry, it's just that, well, you see, in order for the spell to be effective, its caster had to die. And because of the dreadful possibilities if knowledge of the spell got into the hands of Death Eaters, Dumbledore wanted the method and the secrets to be kept as covert as possible." Hermione sniffled and continued. "So…the only person powerful enough and trustworthy enough to cast the spell was Dumbledore. He arranged to be 'murdered' by Snape to put the spell into effect. He died to save us all."

At that point Hermione was overcome with grief and she buried her face in her hands. Ron pulled her towards him and supported her frame, mumbling comforting words to her.

Several hours later, with the four sleeping in conjured beds in Harry's lounge, comforted, Harry fell asleep smiling for the first time in many months.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Okay, this story has been up for ages, and I haven't updated because I've been completely swamped with schoolwork and haven't had time. But, it's summer now, so I'm writing and updating again! I'll try to put up the third chapter this weekend. Only one person has reviewed though, and I'd appreciate it **_**so much**_** if people would, even if it's to tell me that my story is all wrong, just so I know someone is reading. In any case, on with the story, whose characters aren't mine…**

The next morning, when Harry woke up, he refused to let his eyes open. He'd been having such a wonderful dream, and he desperately wished to fall asleep and wait several ore hours before coming to the reluctant realization that everything had been dream.

Suddenly, he became acutely aware of the sound of sausages sizzling in the pan. He bolted out of bed and rounded the kitchen, halting in his cramped kitchen. There stood Hermione, simultaneously minding sausages, toasting and buttering bread, frying eggs, and slicing fruit, while Ron, sitting on the counter, lazily stirred a pot into which a tin of tomatoes had been upturned. Harry gaped.

"Is this excellent or what?!" exclaimed Ron from his perch. "Hermione popped in and out this morning when we woke up and realised that the only food left was a few boxes of shortbread and tins of corned hash. No thank you. Ginny's just gone out again because we realized that you didn't even have tea and coffee. Positively unacceptable."

"Speaking of positively unacceptable," said Ginny, just having apparated in, "I've just been to see Mum and she's bonkers over the fact that you lot have been ignoring her owls recently. She says she'll go completely stark raving mad if she doesn't see you soon. And I trust you've seen her fly off the handle often enough to know that it's _not_ a good thing. And --," she was cut off by Harry's kiss. "Good morning to you, too, Mr. Potter."

"_What_ did I say about closed doors?" asked Ron moodily.

"Not right now, Ron," said Hermione, speaking for the first time and kissing him sweetly on the mouth. "Just, well…get rid of the beds in there, transfigure the couch back into a table, and be sure you set it, too." She turned to Harry. "Cream and sugar in your tea, right? And loads of sugar, no cream for Ron. And just cream or Ginny and me…" Her voice trailed off as she busied herself with the kettle. She'd practically been speaking to herself. With a wave of her wand, the food was all on the table and the four sat down, Ron and Harry clamouring over third helpings of everything.

The talk around the table was light; no mention of the countless schoolmates, friends, and allies lost during the war was made, though the numbers were extensive. Soon, Harry became lost in his own thoughts, not listing to the cheerful chatter surrounding him. His reminisces were both happy and sad, including such as the slack expression on Ron's face when, in the summer before their seventh year, Lavender Brown, who'd given him his first proper snog had been killed. It contrasted so sharply with his look of surprise and absolute glee when, amidst a fight like none other he and Hermione had ever had, she had simply abandoned pretense and kissed him. Almost three years later, with fights far less frequent, though still common occurrences, the two were still happy.

Harry was brought back to earth by Ginny's questioning voice.

"So, what do you think, does that sounds okay?"

"Umm…what?" asked Harry distractedly.

"We thought we could go spend some time around muggle London and then head over to the Burrow for dinner," said Ginny.

"Yeah, that sounds great, actually," said Harry, brightening at the prospect of a carefree day. He didn't particularly enjoy shopping, but he figured with his best friends, he could handle it.

"Right then," said Hermione. "We'll all meet back here in say, and hour and a half? I'll go take tea or something with my parents. I haven't seen them in three months!" With that, Hermione disapparated, Ron and Ginny soon disappearing to the Burrow. Harry sat down and surveyed the room. With one sweep of his wand, the entire flat was clean, and he turned on the TV, his favorite muggle invention.

About an hour later, Ginny, wearing a pale yellow sundress, carrying a large white handbag, and smelling distinctly flowery, was the first to arrive back. She smiled cheerily and said, "I'd hoped to find you here alone." Harry's eyebrows shot up as Ginny pushed him down, his glasses skew. No additional encouragement needed, Harry pulled her down after him and the two began snogging fiercely. Twenty minutes later, a loud pop caused them to spring apart. They turned to see an angry, wide-eyed Ron standing before them.

"CLOSE THE BLOODY DOOR, DAMNIT." He roared. Ginny leapt up and straightened her dress, while Harry shuffled his feet uncomfortably.

"The door was closed, dearest brother!" shouted Ginny. "_You_ came barging in." Ron's face coloured, then drained.

"Can I have a glass of water, Harry? He asked. Harry frowned in confusion, before turning to the kitchen, grateful Ron had recovered so quickly.

Soon afterwards, Hermione arrived in a white knee-length cotton skirt and coral tank, her large camel-colored bag which matched her sandals slung over her shoulder. Both girls looked fresh and summery, and Harry and Ron looked clean, albeit slightly wrinkled. The four headed out to the street, Harry in the lead.

Ron and Ginny marveled at what they saw; muggles communicating on small, cellular phones, walking with personal radios and listening to headphones. After agreeing to meet at an ice cream shop at five o' clock, some four hours later, Ginny and Hermione walked off excitedly. Ron and Harry watched the two down the street for a bit, laughing appreciatively when Hermione stalled at a bookstore's window display and when Ginny impatiently yanked her into a next-door clothes shop.

"Hey Harry, where can a bloke get one of those portable fellytones?"

"Telephones, Ron, and you can get them at electronics stores, follow me. Oh, and don't get too excited when you see computers and things, the muggles might notice."

"Yeah, I guess so…" Ron's voice trailed off and he gawked at the brightly lit façade of a store whose sign boasted "Largest Electronics Inventory in England!' Harry prodded him in the back before motioning him to follow.

Just past five, Harry and Ron, arms laden with bagfuls of gadgets, arrived at the ice cream shop to see Ginny and Hermione giggling over bowls of ice cream, each carrying no more than a handbag. As Ton and Harry sat down, Hermione promptly began scolding them for being late, buying things that would be of no use in the wizarding world, and not remembering to shrink their bags to it in their pockets. Adequately chastised, Harry and Ron each ordered enormous servings of ice cream, and the four of them enjoyed leisurely conversation, showing of their new purchases, before ambling back to Harry's flat, where they could leave their bags and apparate to the Burrow.

Upon arriving at the Weasley residence, it became clear immediately that what was going to have been a family gathering had become an impromptu celebration of sorts. Present in the Weasley garden, apart from the red-haired clan and a very pregnant Fleur, were many surviving members of the Order. Most notably missing were Hagrid and Mad-Eye, both of whom had been killed in the Battle. However, everyone present had a marvelous time, and toward the end of the evening, Harry and Ginny found themselves talking to a rather distraught Professor McGonagall.

"It's been nearly two years since You-Know-Who was defeated, and I am still so hard-pressed when it comes to staffing Hogwarts. Flitwick agreed to stay on last year, but now he's retiring. We have no Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Trelawney left, I could let her, now that the prophecy has been fulfilled, and with Sprout gone, I have no one to teach Herbology. I hardly know what to do -- the Ministry is threatening to reinstate Umbridge!"

Ginny and Harry looked appropriately alarmed at the prospect. As Ginny comforted McGonagall, Harry became lost in thought. Becoming an auror had always been his ambition, but Hogwarts had always been his home, and his loyalty to it was intense. The students could not be forced to learn from the likes of Umbridge again.

"Professor," he started, "what kind of qualifications must one have to become a Hogwarts professor?"

"Well, I'm not nearly has selective as I used to be, I can't be. The more different to Umbridge, the better."

"Would you…consider me? I know I'm young but I'd do anything to help the school. I s'pose I could teach Defense?"

"You could?!"

"Well, if you wanted me to…"

"Yes! Please! You are hired!"

"Oh. Okay, well, great!" said Harry. Ginny looked mysteriously pleased and excited. "Just let me go and find Hermione and Ron and tell them!"

Harry left his girlfriend with the headmistress and found the couple talking to Lupin and Tonks. He told them the news and they were thrilled. Soon afterward, Mrs. Weasley came running out of the house toward them, brandishing a letter and look ecstatic; Ron had been accepted into auror training.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Okay, I promised a quick update, and here it is. Still no reviews, though. It makes me sad . But, here you go (whoever you may be), the third chapter. I'll try to finish writing chapter four this weekend and have it posted early next week. But listen, as much as I love writing this, it would be enormously satisfying to know if someone likes reading it as much as I do writing it. So **_**please**_** review . I'll keep writing it either way, so if you don't like it, you may as well tell me why, and if you do, give me some encouragement. **

** 3 Bella**

By the time they left the burrow, heady with celebration, everyone but Ron was tipsy. Ron had passed out. Hermione was annoyed, both at Ron, and at Fred and George, who had supplied their increasingly inebriated younger brother with generous shots of Firewhiskey throughout the evening, until he stood up, and promptly fell on his face. Rather than stay in the company of the furious Mrs. Weasley, Harry, Ginny, Hermione, decided to risk drunken apparition, Hermione binding Ron to herself.Surprisingly enough, no disaster resulted. Upon returning to Harry's flat, Hermione exhaustedly conjured a bed and deposited Ron in it before collapsing in next to him. In response, Ginny enthusiastically jumped into Harry's bed, where he followed, somewhat hesitantly, dreading Ron's reaction. However, when he saw Ginny, he figured the pros significantly outweighed the cons, and he closed the door behind him, as Ginny, visibly nervous, blushed and arranged her dress. Harry returned her anxious, excited smile just in time to hear Ron snore loudly from the next room.

Harry woke up positively drowning in waist-length, flower-scented dark red hair. He was holding a peacefully sleeping, bare-shouldered Ginny in his arms, and remembering the previous night, could not help but feel elated. However, as he turned over, his feeling of elation quickly ebbed. Standing in the doorway was a menacing Ron, arms folded across his chest threateningly. Harry jumped up, grateful he had replaced his t-shirt when he had grown cold. Ginny woke up.

"_What _is going on?" Ron demanded.

"Well, ickle Ronniekins," Ginny began coolly, "neither Harry nor I really wanted to hop into bed between you and Hermione, so there was really know other option."

Ron seethed, scowling. "And you couldn't conjure up a cot or a camp bed? What, your wands were between me and Hermione, too?"

"_Hermione_ had trouble whipping up that bed last night, everyone was worn out."

"Fine," Ron conceded reluctantly, deflating, "but it won't happen again."

"Err," said Harry.

"Morning, mate," sighed Ron before disappearing from the flat.

Harry turned to Ginny. "You are amazing," he remarked, drawing her in.

"I know," she replied coyly, her voice muffled in the folds of his shirt. "And it's even better now that we'll be working together."

"Yeah," agreed Harry. "Wait – what?!" Ginny drew back and laughed.

"Well, once you left to join Lupin and them, before everyone started congratulating Ron, I stayed back with McGonagall. She literally begged me to come on as Charms professor. She said she knew it was against protocol, me being so young and all, but she didn't think she had other options. I couldn't say no, obviously, particularly being so 'Outstanding' in Charms. I'd wanted to follow in Dad's footsteps, you know, but you know, I'm young, I love Hogwarts, I owe it to the place, I'm decent at Charms, and you'll be there. It really could be no more perfect."

Harry's feeling of elation returned, and he picked Ginny up and spun her around before placing her back on the ground and kissing her, laughing. She shrieked, hugging him in return.

The two sat in the lounge/dining room/extra bedroom of Harry's flat drinking tea. Over the tea they had taken from Harry's recently restocked cupboard, they reminisced back to the happier times they'd spent at Hogwarts, and joked about terrorizing their future students.

Late that evening, Ron returned, carrying food clearly purchased from a pub. The boxes filled with cheese, bangers and mash, and pickles, though slightly less than appealing, served as the perfect sustenance over Harry and Ron's game of wizard chess, during which Ginny whispered pointers to Harry before dozing on his shoulder.

"Where's Hermione?" inquired Harry, noticing her rather prolonged absence.

"She wouldn't tell me," responded Ron, "but she was quite dressed up this morning when she came to say 'bye to me." Ron started off at nothing in particular, a whimsical expression on his face.

"Uh, right. Any idea when she'll be back?"

"No, but I'm not worried. We'd know if something was wrong."

"I s'pose."

A game of exploding snap later, Hermione appeared, flushed with excitement.

"Ginny! I heard the great news!" she leaned in to hug a disoriented Ginny, clearly waking her unexpectedly. Ginny smiled and thanked her.

"Incidentally, Hermione, what are you so wound up about?" She beamed.

"I got in!"

"Got in where?" asked Ron, nonplussed.

"Well, I didn't want to say anything, in case I wasn't accepted, but I applied to the English Secondary Academy for Gifted Witches and Wizards. I want to lobby for non-human rights!"

"Wow, Hermione, that's really prestigious!" exclaimed Ginny, "Congratulations!"

Ron stared at her blankly. "You thought there was a chance you wouldn't get in?"

"Of course! I'm really surprised, actually."

Ron shook his head slowly before giving her an embarrassingly passionate kiss in congratulations. Drawing back breathlessly, she tuned to them, Harry and Ginny stifling laughter, "Thanks so much! It's just all so exciting. We all know what we're doing!"

Harry stopped her before she got too emotional, thinking about a time when they were eleven years old, without the faintest inclination as to how to spend their lives. Instead, loaning Hermione Hedwig so that she could owl her parents with the news, he suggested they all go to sleep, in anticipation for the meeting he and Ginny would have with McGonagall the next morning. Everyone agreed, and three extra beds were again conjured, to pacify Ron and ensure Harry he and Ron would remain on good terms. Despite the fact that Hermione, Ginny and Ron all had homes to which they could return, they didn't, and Harry enjoyed the notion that even as he slept, he was not alone.

The next morning, Hermione and Ron left, having no obligations, they decided to visit their families, together, before Ron would have to go officially enroll at the Ministry training facility. Ginny and Harry apparated to Hogsmeade, which was drastically different to the somber dwelling it had been during the War. The streets were humming, witches and wizards of all ages conversing cheerfully, walking the streets and seeming to be carefree. From there, they strolled to the Hogwarts grounds, where a small man met them at the gate.

"Hello," he said formally and pompously. He wore a set of black and white robes, and Harry was reminded of the type of butler featured in muggle detective stories. He and Ginny exchanged surreptitious glances before following where the man beckoned.

"I am Nile Oliver Plunkett," the man said importantly. Harry detected, underneath his affected Oxford accent, the slight uptilt of an Irish brogue. He frowned, but said nothing.

"I am the _new_ guardian of the keys of this institution."

"Keeper of the keys? You've replaced Hagrid?" Harry questioned sadly.

"Yes. I have. In any case, you must be the two new professors. Rather younger than I had in my dad, but I suppose poor Minerva has run out of options, no? Hmm, a great pity. Regardless, I am here to escort you to her office and inform you that the password, which you must utter when you reach the statue of a gargoyle, is _chocolate frog._" He spoke the password as if he didn't understand the logic, and the rest of his speech, which had obviously been given for his own benefit with an undeniable air of disapproval. "Ah, we have arrived. Vamoose, and welcome back to Hogwarts."

Harry and Ginny bade him farewell before _uttering _the password, which granted them entrance into McGonagall's large office. Upon entering, Dumbledore's portrait winked at them and beamed, and several of the other past headmasters and headmistresses waved at Harry, or peered curiously at the pair. Phineas snorted. McGonagall greeted them warmly, and waved her wand, making two straight-backed wooden chairs appear before her desk. Ginny and Harry sat down.

"Okay. I trust you met Nile? I must apologize for his manner. He's very distantly related to Scrimegeour, and seems to be of the opinion that he deserves equal recognition. In any case, straight to business. I'm glad you have joined the Hogwarts staff, but you must keep in mind that we are accustomed to an older and more experienced group of professors, though I'm sure, judging by your past records, that you are both perfectly capable." She smiled and continued. "First of all, you must prepare all lesson plans at least three weeks in advance, and I expect the first month's lessons, for years 1 through 7 delivered to me no less than two weeks before the start of term, so that I can review them. Additionally," she paused here, surveying their muggle attire, "all professors are expected to maintain a wizard appearance at all times. You must wear robes, though beyond that, there are no restrictions. Be sure you also have dress robes. Professors may, if they choose, live in the castle, in which case board will be provided. Otherwise, they may live in personal homes, though it will be expected, when the schedule is provided, that those who do not keep residence in the castle rotate in serving as chaperones of sorts throughout the week. You will be, regardless of where you live, required to attend all meals and be at school promptly at half past seven AM each day, and you must remain in the castle until half past nine PM. For each year there is a loosely prescribed curriculum, but beyond that, you have the freedom to handle the classes as you wish. You will handle punishment for minor infractions, either deducting house points or assigning detention. Beyond that, refer students to their heads of house. Pay is set at 40,000 galleons per year. Each professor will have access to a personal office and classroom in the castle. Do you have any questions?"

Harry and Ginny simply stared, dumbstruck, processing the information they had just been given. McGonagall, seeming to comprehend their slight confusion took two pieces of black parchment from her desk, tapping them with her wand so a complete list of regulations filled them. After several more hours of debriefing and of pleasant conversation, she sent Harry and Ginny on their way, telling them to return two weeks before the start of term at which point they would be assigned classrooms, offices, and quarters, have their plans appraised, and receive their first pay.

When the arrived back at Harry's flat that night (greeted by Hermione and on looking distinctly disheveled), both were so exhausted the feel straight asleep.

**A/N: Et voila! Such a lot of dialogue in this chapter, which is no fun to type at all. Anyway, enjoy, and I positively **_**implore**_** you to review. Give me any suggestions! Oh, and by the way, this is the first chapter where the T rating has been necessary in the slightest, (hardly), though assume what you will about Ginny and Harry's night…**

**Again, 3, Bella**


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